


Stay With Me

by carinascott



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-01
Updated: 2013-06-01
Packaged: 2017-12-13 15:05:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/825689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carinascott/pseuds/carinascott
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Response to an avengerkink prompt that I've lost the link to. All i recall about the prompt is that it requested the use of 'stay with me' somewhere in the fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay With Me

"Stay. Stay with me. Don't you dare let go," Tony pleaded, willing the ambulance to hurry as he pressed harder against the wound in Steve's chest, blood bubbling up and sliding between his fingers.

Steve smiled, his usually pristine smiled stained red, "It's okay Tony."

But it wasn't. Steve was dying. Tony knew it, Steve knew it. And there was nothing he could do.

Uncaring of the tears that slipped free, Tony continued to beg, "Please Steve, don't go. Not yet. Please, please don't go!"

Steve smiled again, a weak and trembling hand joining Tony's, "I'm s-sorry. I lo-love you so m-much." 

Tony watched as Steve struggled with his words, as his own tears flowed faster. This couldn't be happening!

"No! You will not die on me! You can't. You hang on!" As Steve's eyes dropped, the light within dimming, Tony gave a pitiful sob, "Please!"

\---

Tony sat up in bed, shaking and trembling from the images still playing in his head.

Steve sat up next to him, wrapping his lover in his arms, "Tony? Sweetheart, what is it?"

Tony looked over at Steve, the fear in his eyes evident as he looked at Steve as if seeing him for the first time. And Steve knew what was wrong immediately. Another nightmare.

Moving them until he was settled against the headboard with Tony's head resting on his chest, just over his heart, Steve carded his fingers through Tony's sweat matted hair.

"I'm here, Tony. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere any time soon. You hear me? No where. You got me help, Tony. They got there in time." Steve continued his soft patter of reassurance and soothing caresses until he felt Tony relax and drift to sleep.

It had been three months since he'd almost died after being attacked on a late night after leaving a restaurant with Tony. A hate crime the press had called it. Tony had been injured too, but most of his injuries were superficial. But Steve had been the real target. Apparently someone hadn't approved of America's poster-boy for masculinity being an out and proud gay man.

But Steve's wounds had healed, with minimal scarring, while Tony had been paying the price ever since. The nightmares had lessened over time, but they were still far more frequent than Steve would like. Steve had suggested Tony see someone, maybe get help by talking about it. But Tony refused. Steve had pressed, but then Tony had started opening up to him, telling him about his fears and the thoughts he'd had in what he'd thought to be their final moments. And Steve listened. He figured that as long as Tony was talking, even if only to Steve, he wouldn't press the issue.

But that didn't make nights like this any easier. Steve hated to see his lover suffer, and though he hadn't realized it when they first met, Tony really took things to heart. Almost losing Steve had changed something in him, and no amount of reassurance would change that.

It wouldn't stop Steve from trying though. Tony didn't get enough sleep as it was, he didn't need these nightmares interrupting the few hours he did manage.

Kissing Tony's riotous curls, Steve pulled the blankets up to cover them and wrapped his arms around his lover.

He'd do his best to keep the nightmares at bay for Tony, tonight and every night to come.

END


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